Reel



W. C. PANZER July 17, 1951 REEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1949 y 17, 1951 w. c. PANZER 2,561,288

REEL

Filed Feb. 18, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fnz/emi or' Patented July 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REEL William C. Panzer, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 18, 1949, Serial No. 77,227

Claims. (01. 24277) This invention relates to a reel for heavy wire or the like for use for example in the telephone or other field for transporting the wire and disposing it for withdrawal of the wire for installation or repair purposes.

The invention aims to provide an improved reel of this class which adapts itself to quantity production with a minimum of parts and assembly operations while at the same time enhancing the strength of the reel and permitting free running of the wire when drawn therefrom.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and in which drawings Figure l is a side elevational view showing a form of the reel generally;

Figure 2 is an enlarged axial sectional view of the reel shown in Figure 1, being broken away intermediately to save space and being also a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is an end view of the structure of Figure 2 looking thereat from the right-hand side;

Figure 4 is a section of the strut taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a partial section 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary segmental end view taken on the line 66 of Figure 2 but showing only the segmentally formed web and omitting other parts; and

Figure '7 is a reduced separated view of the segment inserts for the web.

Referring in detail to the illustrative construction shown in the drawings, the reel indicated generally by the numeral H comprises a drum portion l2 formed advantageously of a single piece of sheet metal having meeting edges say as at I 3. To the drum portion l2 at each end is welded as at M an angle member [5 bent into annular form and having its butt-joint H5 staggered with reference to the seam l3 and preferably diametrically disposed thereto.

In accordance with the present invention a web retaining skeleton is formed for the reel at each end thereof by one of the angle members I5 already referred to and another angle member I! complementary thereto which is of larger diameter and circumference to provide the periphery of the reel end or rim portion. The angle member I1 is also of angular form having its buttjoint [8 say on a diametrically opposite side of the reel with relation to the joint I6 of the inner angle member [5.

taken on the line one of An intermediate web connecting together the drum and rim portions of the reel in the complete assembly will next be described.

A reduced view of a web element is shown in Figure 7 and is seen to be in the form of a sheetmetal segment or insert I9. These segments are adapted to be disposed in annular overlapping relationship about the drum portion at each end of the reel and to lie between the angle members [5 and [1, being securely fastened to the angle members and to each other, these segments being corrugated for enhanced strength.

Referring in detail to the formation here illustrated of the segments l9, and further in accordance with the present invention, each individual segment is formed with a depressed central panel 20 which has an embossed margin 2| at its smaller end and embossed margin 22 at its larger end. Along its radial edges the segment is bent upwardly as at 23 and then flanged outwardly as at 24 and 25, one of these radially extending flanges such as the flange 25 being offset downwardly below the flange 24 but parallel therewith, leaving a reverse bend bead 26 on the flange 25 adjacent where it joins the bend 23 of the panel.

It will be understood that the main panel 20} its margins 2! and 22, the flange 25, and the flange 24 all define parallel planes at different levels, and in the order referred to, looking at Figure 7.

To form the annular web of the reel a plurality of the segmental inserts [9 are joined together with overlapping flanges as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, a flange 24 of one insert being overlaid upon a flange 25 of an adjoining insert, the offsetting of the flange 25 in each case permitting the flange 24 of the adjoining insert to lie along the bead 26 substantially flush therewith. The flanges may be secured together as by spot weldings 21.

Since the angle members [5 and I! are arranged with their radially extending angular portions spaced inwardly of the end of the drum portion l2, there is a dished area so to speak at each end face of the reel and the segmental web portion shown in Figure 6 is adapted to lie in this space with the marginal edges 2| at the smaller end of a segment overlapping the angle member I 5 and the marginal edges 22 at the outer or larger end of a segment overlapping the angle member l1. Here again spot weldings 28 and 28a may secure the parts in assembly. When so assembled, the panels 20 of the segments lie in the plane of the radially extending portions of the angle members l5 and I! while the flanges 24 lie in a plane substantially flush with the outer end of the cylindrical portion l2 of the reel, thus providing a corrugated end face at each end of the reel.

To provide a bearing for a shaft or the like upon which the reel may be mounted to rotate, to Wind wire thereon or unwind wire therefrom, a spoke-like strut element 29 is indicated at each end of the cylindrical portion l2 and substantially in the plane of the web portion already described. The strut 29 may be welded as at 30 to the cylindrical portion and is advantageously of channel cross-section as indicated in Figure 4. About the center of the reel, the strut 29 is perforated to receive a sleeve 3|, and at the back of the strut a reinforcing plate 32 is shown inserted in the strut to provide a securement for the sleeve 3|, the reinforcing plate 32 being perforated in register with the perforation in the strut to receive the sleeve. Weldings 33 may secure these parts. 1

So constructed and arranged a simple but strong reel structure is provided of -acharacter which simplifies and minimizes the 'cost of production thereof.

The invention is not intendedto be limited to details of construction shown for purposesof exemplification and such changesmay'be made as fall within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the invention.

The invention having been described, what is here claimed is:

1. In a reel embodying a drum, in combination, a'first'annular member ateach end of's'aid drum, a second annular member of large'r'diameter than said first angular member and spaced therefrom radially aligned with the first annular member, said annular members being each angular in cross-section and having concentricangular portions extending axially of the drum and having other angular portions extending radially thereof and directed tow'ard'each other and spaced inwardly of the drum from' the outer ends of the said concentric portions, and web forming segmental elements each havinga central portion substantially flush with the radially extending angular portions of said. annular members and having outwardly ofis'et flanges parallel with the central portion and sustain-- tially flush with the outer ends of the Carmentrio portions of said annular members, flanges of adjacent said segments overlapping along radial lines to join said elements into a comma ou's annulus, and means for securing the drum,

4 annular members and segmental elements together.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein one flange of each segmental element is offset from the other flange of said element to lie parallel with the adjacent overlapping flange of a contiguous segmental element.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the segmental elements are embossed along their arcuate margins to overlap the radially extending portions of said annular members respectively. '4. In a reel embodying a drum, in combination, a first annular member at each end of said drum, a second annular member of larger diameter than said first annular member and spaced aparttherefrom radially aligned with the first annular member, said annular members being each angular in cross-section and having concentric angular portions extending axially of the drum and having other angular portions=extending-radially thereof and directed toward each other and spaced inwardly of the drum from the outer ends of said concentric portions, and web forming segmental elements each having a portion abutting the radially extending angular portions of said annular-members and having ofi'set portions parallel with the first-mentioned portion of the segmental element, portions of adjacent said segments overlapping along radial lines to join said elements into 'a continuous annulus, and means for securing the-drum, annular members and segmental elements together.

5; The structure of claim 4 wherein the reel is provided with a spoke-like strut secured; across said drum at each end, said strut being of channel form and being centrally perforated to receive an axle for the reeL there being a cylin= drical sleeve piece in said perforation and said channel being bridged by a reinforcing plate Number Name Date 1,614,567 Murray l Jan. 18,1927 2,043,197 Foukal June 2 1936 2,099,102 Brown et a1. Nov. 16-, 1937, 2,452,378 Hudson Oct; 26,1948 2,460,972

Bureau Feb. 8, 1-949 

